A New Beginning - Vampire Academy fanfic
by Dream Craziness
Summary: Rose Hathaway just received her fairy tale ending, or did she? The emotional weight of what she's done comes crashing down. She needs Dimitri to heal her fragile mental state, but he'll be halfway across the country with Christian. What price would you pay for redemption and a second change at love? Disclaimer: Richelle Mead and her brilliant imagination own all of the character
1. Chapter 1

It's easy to lose concentration while wrapped in Dimitri's tight embrace. The goofy grin that's plastered on my face fades as my eyes drift to Jill. A lump grows in my throat as I recall what Victor said and I have a feeling Abe agrees. The reality of what I did to Jill and her future finally hits me. I slightly shake.

"Are you okay?" Dimitri whispers in my ear. Meeting his gaze I muster a half-ass smile. The look he gives me says 'we'll talk later'. Upon conclusion of the ceremony, Dimitri squeezed my hand and makes his way over to Christian. Watching his retreat across the room, I find Jill, standing awkwardly in the front. She looks so lost and alone. I wonder if she feels abandoned.

As Lissa approaches, I promptly step in line at her side taking my place in her guard formation as she exits. Sparing one last look at Jill, I see Adrian talking to her. Good, he will take her under his wing. Our eyes briefly meet; I see they're puffy and rimmed red. Damn. Is that from me or the booze? I have a feeling from me. My heart sinks and my chest tightens. Breathe Rose. Just Breath.

"Are you okay?" Lissa asks. I nod.

"You're doing too much too soon. When we get back you'll go straight to your room for rest."

"Lissa..." I protest.

"Queen's orders." She cuts me off with a surprisingly authoritative tone. Turning on her heels to walk, it signals the end of this discussion.

Back in my room I begin to undress and notice my stitches bleed through the bandages. After replacing them I lay down on my bed, curling up in a ball and I start to cry.

Dimitri comes to me later in the evening. At some point I must have found sleep, but my puffy red eyes don't lie.

"Roza," he scoops me up cradling me in his strong arms. Brushing my hair out of the way, he kisses my forehead. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. Nothing. Everything." Tears start running down my face again.  
"Everything I've done, all the lives I've ruined..." I look up into his eyes, "at the time I did what I needed to do to get through it. I felt it then, but I always pushed down the emotions, telling myself I'd deal with the backlash later. I think it's later." I'm on the verge of a hysterical fit.

Dimitri doesn't say anything. He just holds me, rocking me back and forth. Gently stroking my back, giving me all the love and compassion I need to get through this. Finally he speaks.

"Roza, you did what you needed to do, what was expected of you. Just look what happened because of you and what you believed! You proved Stroigi can be healed. You saved me. You found a member of Lissa's family and not only gave her voting rights, but also made her Queen. The things you can accomplish when you set your mind to it is limitless."

"But at what cost?" This caught him off guard. "I ruined Eddie's perfect record. I cost him a mark..."

"Eddie knew the repercussions to his actions when he joined you on your mission." Eyeing me suspiciously, "By the way, exactly what were you doing in Las Vegas? And do I want to know why Victor was with you? And how he escaped?"

"It's best if you don't." I whisper into his chest. I know he's smiling.

"And Jill. What will come of her? She won't be able to live with her parents again. She won't even be able to return to the Academy, or stay at court." More tears line my face.

"Jill is in a very fragile position, being the only living Dragomir. She's a necessity for Lissa to remain Queen."

"I know. It still doesn't make it fair. We didn't exactly explain all this to her when we brought her here. Hell, we didn't even ASK her to do this. We just expected her to and if she wouldn't come willingly..."

"But she did come willingly."

"Yes. She may have agreed to come to court and give Lissa voting rights. She didn't know Lissa would be Queen, or how extreme her life would change. How cold and uncaring Lissa would be toward her."

"She'll be fine. Adrian's taken her under his wing. He'll watch out for her." His words are innocent, but as I hear his name tears well up again. Adrian.

"I'm such a bitch. I don't know why you love me." Looking into his eyes I ask, "Why do you love me?"

"Roza, how could I not love you? Everything about you screams to me. You're so strong and powerful. You put everyone else's needs before your own. Especially Lissa's...and mine."

"But I don't worry about who I plow through, or what happens to them in the aftermath. Just ask Victor and Mason."

"You can't punish yourself for something that isn't your fault. What happened to them was out of your control."

"Then let's ask Christian how he's dealing with the news about Tasha. I should have tried to warn him, to prepare him for the truth."

"Rose. How would you have done that?"

"Or, I could have let them take me into custody and given them the information then, in private as opposed to public."

"It's easy to think of what we could have done or should have done in retrospect. But in the heat of the moment, when our adrenaline is pumping it's hard to think things through completely. Besides, you don't know if they would have believed you or been able to prove anything. Her confession was your savior. Without it all we had was based on the alchemists."

"OH and Sydney. What have I done to her future? I owe her so much for all she's done for me. Both here and in Russia. Adrian was right, I'm not worthy...my friends do so much for me and all I do is ruin their lives!"

"We'll get through this, I'm here for you." Dimitri's voice cuts through the silence. "Think of your happy place."

"My what?" I stifle a small giggle.

"A moment in time when everything was perfect. You had no worries except about what was happening in that exact moment. And in that moment you were truly happy."

"That's easy." I say, turning to look into his eyes. "Care to guess? It involves you."

"Does it involve a cabin?" He raises his eyebrows.

"No. That's a good one, but we weren't exactly worry-less." He nods.

"Flipping through the travel book at the library in West Virginia." I smile.

"Yes. That was a perfect moment." He smiles. "Now keep that moment close to your heart, whenever you feel overwhelmed think about it until you calm down."

"It's you who calms me down." I snuggle under his chin.

"I'll always be here for you, Roza." Dimitri says. I know I should be worried about his fragile mental state too, but right now I'm wallowing in self pity.

"When do you leave?" Earlier Dimitri told me Christian accepted a teaching position at St. Vladimir's Academy, to teach young Moroi how to fight. Of course Dimitri will accompany him as his guardian.

"End of the week." His voice is low and he kisses my forehead. Tears well up again and run down my face. I cry myself to sleep.

I wake in the morning, still cradled in his arms. The look in his eyes tells me he didn't sleep. I smile up at him and his facial features relax. Whatever he was previously thinking about vanished. Flashing me the sexiest smile he leans in for my lips. A mind blowing kiss that leads to much more than kissing.

"You better watch out, a girl can get use to this in the morning." I tease as I lay cuddled against his naked body. I feel his lips pull up into a smile against my neck.

"As can I." He sighs as he gently trails kisses down my neck.


	2. Chapter 2

I push aside all my emotions from earlier as I get ready for the day. Looking in the mirror I know Lissa will worry about me. What can I say? What should I tell her? I walk into the kitchen ready for breakfast and find her with Adrian. So much for pushing down my emotions. One look at him and a tear wells up in my eye. I quickly blink it away as I approach, hopefully no one noticed. Yet he did, he's watching me. What does he see? The color of my aura use to fascinate him, but now that I'm no longer shadow kissed, I wonder what my true aura shows? When I'm a few feet away from them I put on the best smile I can muster.

"Good morning, my Queen." I say slightly bowing to Lissa and giving her one of my mischievous grins. Her eyes widen, staring at me in confusion and disbelief.

"Good morning, Adr…er, Lord Ivashkov." Our eyes meet and I feel the heat under his scrutiny.

"Guardian Hathaway." I wince at the coolness of his voice. It's Lissa who spoke next.

"Rose what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Never better." I lie. She stares at me in disbelief.

"It looks like you've been crying." She persists. "I heard Dimitri came to see you last night," her voice trails off. I glance at Adrian not wanting to talk about Dimitri in front of him. I don't want to hurt him any more than I already have. "Did he do something to upset you?"

"No." I cross my arms in front of me and roll my eyes. We're interrupted by a servant I've never met. Lissa is needed to review a few documents.

"This conversation isn't over." She says as she exits the room. I turn and glance toward Adrian, half expecting him to excuse himself too.

"Adrian," I say.

"Don't. Just don't." he cuts me off.

"I'm so sorry." I say. He stares at me for a while without saying anything. His stern look bores into my head. Tears threaten my eyes under his scrutiny.

"Exactly what are you sorry for?" He finally asks.

"Everything." I say. A deep, billowy dark laugh escapes his lips.

"Everything?" He asks. "You always take the easy way out, don't you…"

"What do you want me to say?"

"You know exactly why you're sorry. For using me, lying to me, cheating on me. Take your pick." He retorts.

"Adrian, I never used you or lied to you. I did cheat on you and I am very sorry about that. I really did love you, I still do, just not in that way. Not how I love Dimitri. I tried. You know I did. I really wanted us to work out." He tries to interrupt me. "Stop, I need to say this. I wasn't over Dimitri yet. It was too soon. My time with him as a Strigoi still haunted me. His memory still lingered in my heart. I tried to get over him, making new memories with you. And who knows it may have worked with time. But then Lissa saved him and…"

"I know the rest. Auras don't lie. I knew how you two felt about each other, even when you wouldn't admit it." He says. "I knew what would happen when you two were alone together."

"Then why did you support the idea?" I ask.

"What other choice did I have? You'd be tried and executed." His eyes soften. "I hoped your stubbornness would be enough to keep you two apart." My eyes squint in question. "You were pretty upset with him our last night together." I blush.

"How do you know?"

"Little dhampir," He muses, his lips curling into a smirk. "There isn't much I don't know."

"It wouldn't have worked out between us anyway." I change the subject. "Everyone knows a Moroi and Dhampir don't live happily ever after."

"I would have for you." He whispers.

"Adrian, your family never would have allowed it." He nods knowing what I say is true.

The door opens and Lissa enters the room.  
"Now where were we?" She says walking toward us.

"Lissa, I'm okay. Everything's fine." I calmly say.

"Then what happened last night?" She persists.

"He told you, didn't he?" I'm shocked when I hear Adrian's voice.

"Told you what?" Lissa asks.

"That Christian's accepted the position at St. Vladimir's to teach Moroi how to fight." Adrian calmly replies.

"What does that have to do with Rose?" Lissa asks.

"Guardian Belivok will accompany Christian." He continues.

"Of course he will. He's his assigned Guardian." Lissa says.

"Not anymore." Christian's voice carries through the room. We hadn't noticed him enter.

"What?" I exclaim.

"I don't need a Guardian. I told him that before." He says to me. Turning back to Lissa and Adrian, "And besides, it was a charity case. I took him because no one else would."

"But, it'll destroy him. How could you?" Lissa's tempter is building. I know she's fighting against that darkness.

"It won't destroy him. I'm sure he decided something else was more important." Adrian's words caught everyone by surprise. Well, by everyone I mean Lissa.

"More important? Being restored as a Guardian is all he wanted. Being a Guardian is who he is, it's part of him." Lissa's voice carries through the room. "Christian what have you done?"

"He didn't do anything." We all turn to stare at Dimitri. Man, I'm really off my game today. That's two people that have caught me by surprise. Walking straight to me he smiles and continues talking.

"Life is too short to let it pass you by. Too many things have happened in such a short amount of time. I need to do soul searching and rediscover myself."

"Is that why you couldn't sleep last night?" I ask in a whisper.

"Yes. Some things in life are so fragile, balancing on a tightrope. If you're not careful you can lose everything you love in the blink of an eye. I should know it's happened to me, more than once. I'm not going to let it happen again." He finishes with a kiss to my forehead.

"But you'll be in disgrace." Lissa persists.

"My Queen, I'm already in disgrace. No one trusts an ex-Strigoi and no one wants me as an instructor for fear of their daughters' innocence." I was grinning ear to ear.

"I'm really not sure how innocent she was before she met you Belivok." Christian stifles a laugh.

"What will you do?" Lissa asks. Dimitri looks at me and shrugs his shoulders. I know what he wants to say, 'it doesn't matter what I do as long as I'm with Rose'.

"Lissa," I begin with a shaky voice, pulling out of Dimitri's arms I walk closer to her, "we've always been best friends, we'll always be best friends. But our lives are now headed in different directions. You're Queen and going to college. I'm,"

"My Guardian, just as you always have been and always wanted." She says.

"Yes, I'm officially your Guardian. But as you just said, I've always been your Guardian even without the fancy official recognition."

"What are you saying Rose?" Lissa eyes me warily.

"I've always been the strong one, for everyone. I've always pushed aside my feelings, my wants and desires for the mission in front of me. I've destroyed countless lives all in the name of my end goal. Without a second thought of what would happen in the end. Well scratch that, I did think about it and decided I couldn't think about it and finish my goal. So I pushed the thoughts aside." I take a deep breath.

"Lissa, I need time to heal. I need to take a journey on the road to self discovery. I need to learn to forgive myself and repent for all I've done."

"What will you do?" she asks.

"You won't last long playing house. Neither of you." Adrian's voice catches me by surprise. "Of course, if you ever decide to have kids I'll offer my services. Strictly business of course."

Whatever game Adrian is playing, he's clearly amused. Dimitri on the other hand is trying to remain in control of his tempter. I gently squeeze his hand.

"We'll travel and see all the beautiful things this world has to offer." I say, ignoring Adrian's offer. My smile widens as I look to Dimitri. His eyes are twinkling.

"Where will you go?" Lissa presses.

"First, we have an appointment with a corn palace." Dimitri lets out a laugh. Man, I love his laugh. It's contagious too, we all begin to chuckle.

"You're leaving me? You really are leaving me." Lissa finally says.

"Lissa…" I begin. I'm interrupted by a courier.

"My Queen, please excuse the interruption. I have an urgent message for Guardian Hathaway." He slips me an envelope, bows to Lissa and exits.


	3. Chapter 3

All eyes are on me. I hastily open the envelope:

_The Keepers were attack. Many were injured and a few casualties. Luckily it was only a single Strigoi and the group could take him down. He was looking for you. Be careful, stay safe. –Sydney_

My eyes widen as I meet Dimitri's gaze.

"We have to go back to West Virginia." I hand him the note. He quickly reads it and nods in agreement.

"What's happened?" Lissa asks. I quickly explain to her about the redneck vampires we met in the backwoods during our stint in West Virginia. Then I read Sydney's note aloud for the group to hear.

"You've made a lot of Strigoi enemies," Dimitir says.

"Yes, you've told me. And that's why you were stalking me, to kill me, remember?" I flash a smile. His face goes stone cold. I grab his hand and squeeze.

"I guess if word's around that you've been healed, you probably have enemies too." I finally say. He nods.

"I should go too. If people have been injured I can help them." Lissa says.

"Lissa you can't go. You're Queen." I say. I see a little frown forming on her face.

"Maybe Sonya can go?" she says.

"No. She was just reunited with Mikhail. We can't ask her to leave him. Not just yet. It'll be fine." I say.

"I'll go." My head snaps to Adrian. He shrugs. "It's not like I have anything else to do."

"Me too." Christian says with excitement behind his voice.

"No. We can't take two Moroi, nonetheless two Royal Moroi, out with us unprotected by Guardians. I've learned my lesson. I won't put their lives in danger. And if we are being hunted by Strigoi, they will be in danger." I quickly say. Dimitri nods.

"I'll get a Guardian." Christian says. My face lights up and I flash one of my most charming smiles.

"Dear lord. I know that look. What's your crazy idea now?" Lissa says letting out a laugh.

"Christian, could you request Eddie? I don't think many people want him anymore after his association with me." I say.

"Great idea. He'd be a good asset to St. Vladimir's too."

"And Adrian, if you still want to come," I turn slightly toward him. He nods. "You could request Mikhail. He's done so much to help us too. And he's still being punished for leaving when Sonya turned Strigoi." Dimitri smiles.

"But you just said," I interrupt before Lissa can finish.

"If Sonya leaves, Mikhail can't follow. But if Mikhail leaves, Sonya will follow. It's too perfect actually. She can help Adrian with Spirit too." In this moment, my earlier dark emotions have turned happy. Maybe I can make amends for some of the awful things I've done.

I look to Dimitri and meet his approving smile.

"What's the smirk for?" I ask.

"Just remembering how flustered you were when Angeline challenged you to a fight." He teases. "To see if you were worthy enough to marry her brother." He openly laughs.

"What?!" Lissa exclaims.

"Good lord. You had to bring that up!" I laugh too. I tell them about the misunderstanding that occurred. And that led to more information being revealed about this group and how they lived.

"He asked me to live in a cave!" The bewildered look on my face made everyone laugh.

After a while Dimitri takes charge and starts giving out orders.

"We should hit the road at sun rise. If Strigoi are hunting us, we need to move during daylight. I'll get a car and supplies. You three have business to attend to at the Guardian HQ." Adrian promises to keep Lissa posted through her dreams as we say our farewells and head out the door.

The entire walk over to the Guardian HQ my stomach is tied in knots. I always wanted to be a Guardian, Lissa's Guardian. Now I finally have both and I'm giving them away. I know this is the right decision, even though it's a hard one. When we get there, I'm not sure exactly what to say. For once in my life I'm speechless.

"After Belikov's decision this morning, I figured it was only a matter of time before we'd be seeing you." Hans says.

"Yes. It was a very generous gesture of you to reestablish his title, but it also made many people nervous. And you know me, I'm a loose cannon. The Queen doesn't need me on her guard. I'll just attract too much attention, and not necessarily in a good way." I smile. He nods in agreement.

Once my discharge paperwork has been completed, Adrian and Christian request their guardians by name. Hans hesitates momentarily before sending a runner for Eddie and Mikhail. Both graciously accept the position. Walking out into the Plaza Eddie speaks first,

"Okay Rose, exactly what have we agreed to?" I look at him with a puzzled face. "What did we get ourselves into?"

"First off, why do you think I'm involved? Secondly, why do you think you've 'gotten yourself' into something?" I ask with an edge of humor in my voice. All eyes are on me and everyone is smiling.

"Okay fine. Here's the deal." I give Eddie and Mikhail a quick recap of our mission.

"When do we leave?" Eddie asks.

"Sunrise. Dimitri's getting us a car." I say. "Oh, and Mikhail, don't forget Sonya." His smile widens. We part ways with an agreement to meet back just before sunrise. Dimitri's waiting for us with a Ford Excursion. We all pile in. Dimitri drives and I ride shotgun.

"So, exactly where are we going?" Eddie asks after we've been on the road a little while.

"West Virginia." I say.

"The place you went after your escape?" Mikhail asks. I glance to Dimitri.

"Er, kinda." I say.

"What do you mean kinda? It's either a yes or no." Christian says.

"Yes we went there after our escape." I say glancing out the window. I feel Dimitri's gaze on me.

"I thought it was a boring motel in the middle of nowhere." The sound of Adrian's voice makes me flinch.

"Yes. That place was. We're not going there." I say.

"Rose, stop talking in riddles." Christian says. "What happened? You went to two different places in West Virginia?"

"Yes. We had a run in with the local law enforcement at the first place. This was an alternate." Dimitri says.

"You tried to run." It appears Adrian knows me better than I though. Everyone takes my silence as confirmation.

"How'd she get away from you Belikov?" Mikhail asks. Dimitri tenses, gripping the steering wheel.

"She played upon a weakness and caught me off guard." He finally says.

"I punched him." I say with a mischievous grin plastered on my face. He grunts.

"Man would I give anything to see you two fight each other. I bet that's an amazing match. I heard about the warehouse, the night you were saved. Everyone says they dared not try to get in between you two for fear of their life." Mikhail laughs. "How many times have you two fought?" I fidget in my seat and notice Dimitri gripping the wheel again.

"Too many." I finally say. Everyone nods.

"What happened in Russia?" Adrian's voice cuts through the awkward silence. His question pierces me through the heart. He's always wanted to know about my time in Russia, but I never told him. I never told anyone except Lissa. Our eyes meet.

"I killed Strigoi." I say.

"Cut the crap. Remember I funded your little escapade?" he quips.

"Well obviously she didn't find him. Or else he wouldn't be here." Mikhail says.

"Or she wouldn't be here." Sonya adds.

"But I did. I found him." I whispered. "And I failed him." I look to Dimitri. He still doesn't like talking about his time as a Strigoi. Everyone looks to me.

I tell a broad overview my trip to Russia - my strategy for finding Dimitri, my initial hesitation, my captivity and finally my escape. Of course I left out the finer details of my captivity and escape, those are private.

Sonya commended Dimitri on his ability for control as a young Strigoi. Saying it must have been his feelings for me directing his actions. He thought about that a while, then I could tell he dismissed it. After a while we stopped at a camping store.

"I'll be right back." Dimitri says.

"I'll come with you." I say.

"No. Stay here. I'll be quick." I nod as he closes the door.

A few minutes pass when Adrian's voice cuts through the silence once more.

"He fed off you, didn't he?" My eyes shot daggers at him.

"That is none of your business." He touched upon a nerve.

"That's why you were so messed up." He's finally putting it all together. "And why couldn't you kill him?"

"I thought I did! I stabbed him twice! Once with a wooden stake during my escape, then again on the bridge. I stabbed him with MY stake. I thought he was dead when I left Russia." All the grief of thinking I killed the love of my life filled my heart. I never allowed myself to mourn that feeling. Even though it's not true, it still tortured me at the time.

"You were his blood whore. That's what he did to you." Adrian says. Tears well up in my eyes, I quickly turn to face the front before anyone notices.

"No. It's not like that with Strigoi. Usually you're a meal and dead." Sonya says. "What he did with Rose, only the more powerful Strigoi have that type of control. To be able to control his blood thirst. That is an amazing feat in itself."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Strigoi drink blood for food. They typically don't take pleasure in it. Well, if they do take pleasure in it, usually the victim isn't allowed to live afterward." Sonya says. "Strigoi have a hard time expressing their feelings for love, so they compensate in other ways such as power and pleasure. To a Strigoi, taking pleasure in a feeding is just like making love." We all jump when Dimitri opens the back doors to put in his purchase. I blush.

"Did I interrupt something?" he asks.

"Nope." I say. Suddenly I feel very awkward.

"Rose was just about to tell us more about The Keepers." Christian says. My eyes meet his showing a small 'thank you'.


	4. Chapter 4

As Dimitri climbs into the driver seat he gives me a sideways glance, I manage one of my best Rose Hathaway smiles before blushing again. I never thought I'd feel awkward discussing my love life with my friends. I never had trouble before, not even in class. But then again it wasn't Dimitri. I sigh and look out the window.

"So what did you buy at Outdoor World?" Christian asks breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Camping supplies." Dimitri responds.

"Camping?" Adrian asks.

"Yes. Unless you'd rather sleep in a cave." I smile at the though of sharing a tent with Dimitri again. Last time we shared a tent, well, we were on the run and I was still with Adrian. I steal a glance at him and catch a smirk. The look on his face, I know he's thinking the same thing. My shoulders relax and I close my eyes.

I wake to voices discussing food. Rubbing my eyes I turn to Dimitri, "Good morning beautiful" his eyes soften and his lips curl into a smile as he speaks. My heart melts, I love his smile. It was always a reward when he'd flash me one during our training sessions. Will I ever get use to him giving them to me unconditionally? I hope not. I make a silent vow to myself to never take the little things for granted. Even something as little as a smile.

The doors open and I realize we've stopped. While I was daydreaming we pulled into the parking lot of an IHOP. I sluggishly slide out of the passenger seat. Dimitri extends out his hand to me.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"More than okay." I smile. He reaches his arms around me, pulling me closer to him. Wrapping my arms around his solid body, I melt into his chest. He kisses my forehead.

"I have something for you." He says. I look up and meet his intense stare.

"Like a present?" I'm giddy with excitement.

"Yes. A present." Smiling, he produces a small bag from his pocket. Still wrapped in his arms, I eagerly open it. It's my favorite lip gloss.

"You remembered." I smile.

"How could I ever forget the taste of your lips." He whispers as his lips meet mine. His kiss is slow and gentle. Not the heated passionate kisses we usually exchange. I'm entranced by the softness of his touch. The sensation engulfs me. This is love, not lust. I feel a burning deep in my heart. The corners of my mouth turn up into a smile. He slightly pulls away, but not before lightly licking my parted lips. How erotic, I whimper. Does he know what he does to me? He leans his forehead against mine.

"Something amusing?" He asks.

"No. I just realized this is the first time we've openly displayed our affection. In public." I add.

"And how do you feel about that?" He's watching me closely.

"I like it." I lean into him, stealing another kiss.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs against my lips.

"Hey," our kiss stops. But we don't turn toward Adrian. "You going to eat? Or get a room?"

"No. We're coming." Dimitri reluctantly says. "Go on in. I'll be there in a minute. I want to check the map." I nod and give him one last chaste kiss.

"I get it now." Adrian says as I approach.

"What?" I ask.

"You two. I never made you shine like that." He says thoughtfully. "You've always shined, even when you were shadow kissed. But when you're with him..." He shakes his head and doesn't finish.

"Adrian?" I ask, lightly placing my hand on his forearm. I'm worried about his mental state. As a spirit user he's shadowed in darkness. He continuously walks the line between craziness and staying sane. I should know, I've been there. If it weren't for Dimitri I would be lost to the world. He and he alone was able to reach me when my mind was overcome with spirits darkness. I fear for Adrian and Lissa everyday.

He gently squeezes my hand and says, "You two were made for each other."

As we eat Dimitri tells us his plan.

"Since it's so close to sunset, I think we should get a motel room for the night. Without knowing the actual state of The Keepers and if we have any tails, it'll be safer if we arrive in the woods with as much daylight as possible." We all nod in agreement.

"You said 'room' as in one?" Christian asks. Dimitri nods.

"Seriously, I do not want to share a room with you and Rose." Adrian's voice cuts through the air. I see Dimitri tense up, he's fighting for control.

"It is the most secure way. There are four of us, we will take shifts - two at a time." Glancing to me he adds, "and Rose will be on first shift with Mikhail."

I know what he's doing. As much as I didn't like it, I knew it made sense. If we were on watch together, there was the possibility of...not paying attention, for lack of better words. Ah. I sigh. At least I can snuggle up with him while he sleeps, just like when we were in the tent before.


	5. Chapter 5

As discussed Dimitri pulled over at the first decent looking motel we see from the interstate. I flashback to the little motel room we stayed in the first night after our grand escape when Dimitri and I were still at odds with each other. _I was heartbroken because he said he didn't love me anymore. I was also disgusted with him because at the time I thought the only reason he helped me escape was due to his pledged loyalty to Lissa._

_We've never spoken of that night, but I always wanted to ask him what he was thinking at the time. If he thought the events of that night may have played out differently if I didn't punch him. If he would have distanced himself from me even more and become a recluse. I shake my head, I don't need to play the 'what if' game right now._ He slides in the driver seat and gives me a questioning look. I put on my best Rose Hathaway smile and bat my eyelashes. He rolls his eyes and says,

"We're in room 22b. They're bringing a cot." He puts it in gear and drives down the parking lot pulling in front of the room. We pile out and walk in to see the setup. It wasn't all that bad, two double beds, a couch, TV, and desk. We all jump at a knock on the door. It's only the housekeeping bringing the cot.

"Okay, let's grab out stuff and settle in for the night." Dimitri's voice cuts through the awkward silence.

"Hey Eddie, can you grab my bag? I'm going to jump in the shower while there's still hot water." Adrian calls as he walks toward the bathroom.

"I can grab your stuff too, if you want to call Lissa." Eddie says to Christian. He nods, pulling out his cell phone and sprawls on the couch.

Sonya lies down on a bed while the rest of us head outside. Eddie grabs his, Adrian's, and Christian's bags, and also a sleeping bag. My face scrunches up in questions.

"I'll take the floor." Eddie says to no one in particular. I hadn't even thought about sleeping arrangements. He and Mikhail head back inside, I turn to follow when Dimitri grabs my arm.

"Are you okay?" He asks. I rest my head on his shoulder and he wraps his arms around me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I say wrapping my arms around him in return.

"Want to tell me what you were thinking about earlier?"

"Earlier when?" I ask.

"Just a few minutes ago while I was checking in." He pulls my face away from the crook of his neck where I had managed to bury my face. He rests his forehead against mine, we're nose to nose, and a smile creeps up to my face. I flush by the close proximity of him and my stomach flips. _How does he do this to me with just a single look and touch?_

"Oh, I was just thinking about the night we almost spent in a motel." I say. "Playing the 'what if' scenario." I smile wryly.

"What do you mean what if?" His tone is deep and seductive, my chest tightens. _Does he know what he's doing to me?_

"How that night may have played out different." I'm looking down suddenly fascinated by a spot on his shirt. A minute or two go by and he still hasn't said anything so I finally look up. He's staring down at me expressionless with a glassy eyed look.

"Dimitri?" I ask my voice full of concern.

"You mean if you didn't try to run," I shake my head cutting him off.

"No, if I didn't punch you." I meekly say. _Why am I being so shy with him?_ The corners of his mouth pull into a smile.

"You mean the kiss?" His eyes twinkle as he leans closer to me. My breath catches and my heart pounds. I nod not able to find my voice. _Damn. Why is he so sexy when he's playful?_

"I've always wondered that myself. You surprised me with the kiss, but caught me off guard with the punch." He says, nipping at my bottom lip.

"You kissed me back." I lightly flick my tongue at his upper lip. His grip tightens around my waist.

"Yes, I surprised myself too." He kisses my jaw line, stopping to whisper in my ear, "I was so upset with you that night." I lift my chin and slightly tilt my head, exposing my neck. He takes the hint and trails kisses down to my collarbone.

"Why were you so upset?" A low moan escapes my lips. His lips freeze and I feel his hands tighten.

"Dimitri? What is it, what's wrong?" I quickly straighten up, looking around for danger. His eyes have gone dark and his face is contorted in a tight grimace. _I know this look. No, no, no. Not here, not now._ "Dimitri," I say in a low sing-song voice, as I gently brush his cheek with my fingertips. His grips tightens around my waist, I wince knowing I'll have marks tomorrow.

"Comrade," I switch tactics. Guiding his head down to mine, forcing him to meet my eyes, I continue gently stroking his cheek. "Dimitri, er, Comrade, it's me Rose. Your Roza." I say with a shaky voice. I see a flicker in his eyes, that's something. _The sun is starting to set, we need to get inside. But I can't take him inside like this. The others can't see him like this, it'll destroy him. I take a deep breath and then decide what I need to do. It's risky, but worth a try._

"Dimitri I will always love you." I say as I smash my lips into his. An animalistic rage takes over my actions; I give him everything I've got. It's not slow, or gentle, and it's most definitely not romantic in any way possible. It's pure lust, plain and simple. I need him, but most importantly he needs me. He needs human contact, he needs to feel love and affection.

"Oh Roza," I know he's back when I feel his hands slide up my back to tangle in my hair. Our kiss trails off and he rests his chin against the top of my head, hugging me tightly. "I…I love you." He whispers, "I'm lost without you." I hear the desperation in his voice.

"Then it's a good thing I'm right here." I say, squeezing him tightly around the midsection. "Right where I'm mean to be, in your arms." His embrace tightens with my words.

"Do you want to talk about it?" _I'm skating on thin ice, I know I shouldn't pry. But I also know it helps him when he does talk about it. Though sometimes it also throws him back in the deep end._

"Later. It's already dark we should get inside." He tilts my chin up and our lips meet. The gentlest and most romantic kiss we've ever shared. This kiss, as slow as it is, is full of pure emotions, radiating love. My head is spinning and I'm literally dizzy from the spell he's put me under.

"I can't wait until tomorrow night when we have our own tent." I murmur against his lips and I feel him smile before our lips part. We walk inside hand in hand with our bags.

"What have you two been doing, checking the perimeter?" My eyes meet Christian's and I give him a sharp look that says, 'drop it'.

I glance around the room and notice Mikhail and Sonya are cuddled on one bed, Christian is sprawled on the couch, Adrian is asleep on the cot, and Eddie is lying on the floor. _I guess they left the other bed for me and Dimitri_. Walking toward the bed I tell Dimitri to get some sleep. He nods, reminds me when to wake him and Eddie, he gives me a kiss on the forehead and lies down.

I sit next to him and he instantly reaches for me. Weaving his arm around my hips he lays his head on my belly and I place my arm around him cradling his head. He quickly falls asleep as does everyone else except me and Mikhail.


	6. Chapter 6

I gaze down at Dimitri, he looks so peaceful. I lightly play with his hair, gently stroking around his hairline.

"How are you two?" Mikhail whispers after a while. I look at him and smile.

"We're good. We both still have a lot of issues to work out," I scrunch my nose at the word '_issues_'. Returning my gaze to Dimitri I add "but we'll work them out together."

I see Dimitri's face start to contort, his brows pull tightly together. I know this look all too well. They haven't been occurring as often anymore, but I can tell he's having a night terror. The first time he had one it scared me, it was so violent. He was yelling and attacking the nonexistent danger in the air. I unsuccessfully tried to wake him that time, and a few more times after that. He never remembered anything in the morning.

They've toned down since then, I don't try to wake him anymore. I just hold him close, making sure to have physical contact with his bare skin and I talk him through it. He starts to whimper and I instinctively begin to stroke his face, leaning down I kiss his head and whisper soothing words of comfort.

"Does Sonya ever talk about it?" I ask Mikhail after a while.

"Sometimes, but not often." He says.

"Does she ever have night terrors?" I notice him watching me as I try to soothe Dimitri.

"Not that I know of. She has bad days, but mainly she just gets depressed." He says. "You have to remember, she stayed out of mainstream Strigoi. From what Sonya has said, Dimitri inserted himself in the belly of the beast." I nod knowing all too well what type of life he had made for himself.

"Yes, he was in the Russian Strogoi Mafia and moved up the ranks pretty quickly." That's when it clicked, the cause behind Dimitri's lingering pain. He forgave himself for all the terrible things he did while he was a Strigoi, so I couldn't figure out why he was still so tortured. Now I get it. The burning question, why did he choose that type of life in the first place? Why didn't he settle down somewhere and stay out of the spotlight? He's fighting with his own internal demons for the identity of his soul.

"Oh Comrade." I whisper as I lean down and softly kiss his lips. He doesn't wake up, but his whimpers subside for the moment and he tightens his grip around me. The calming effect doesn't last long. He begins to mutter incoherently in Russian. It's barely audible, but I hear _Roza_ often. My heart flutters each time. I scoot myself down to a less upright position, his head now resting on my chest. I'm able to wrap my arms around him completely and provide as much comfort I can.

"I admire you Rose." I was so absorbed with Dimitri I had forgotten Mikhail was awake.

"Hmm?" I say, turning my head to the sound of his voice. He's watching Dimitri closely. I realize he's witnessing Dimitri's vulnerable side, his fits of terror that haunt his sleep. Thinking about it, I'm glad it's Mikhail and not one of the others. Dimitri would be embarrassed and ashamed if he knew anyone observed him like this, but Mikhail of all people would understand.

"I said, I admire you." Mikhail repeats himself.

"Why's that?" A smirk crosses my face remembering not too long ago I would've had a sassy comeback. I shake my head at how much I've changed over the past year.

"For what you're doing. It's one thing to carry on a scandalous relationship with a fellow guardian, but willfully resigning…that takes pure courage."

"Honestly, Dimitri made his decision and resigned without telling me. I don't think he ever imagined I'd do the same, but it just felt right. I need him more than a guardian lifestyle would ever allow."

"I think he needs you too." Mikhail says as he motions to our entwined bodies. A warmth rushes to my cheeks.

"Two of the most legendary guardians of our time giving everything up for each other, it's invigorating and inspiring to our whole race." His eyes are glassy, almost awestruck as he speaks to the ceiling.

I hear Eddie start to stir and realize our shift is almost over. I gently wake Dimitri before Eddie fully wakes up.

"Hey Comrade," I say, placing a not-so-gentle kiss on his lips. "It's time to wake up." His eyes flash open and for a second I see fear. Then a smile creeps over his face, softening his features.

"And what do you think you're doing kissing me like that while I'm asleep?" He keeps his voice low, but playful as he sits up.

"Waking you with a kiss, just like sleeping beauty." I give him one last chaste kiss, which leaves my lips tingling and my body aching for more. Before he can say anything I lie down and curl up next to him.

A while later I wake up and reach out my hand across the bed, but I find Dimitri's gone. Then I hear the whispers,

"So you and Rose, huh?" Eddie's voice is low. Dimitri must have nodded because Eddie continues.

"I'm always the last to know these things." He sighs. "How long? Before or after Mason?"

"It wasn't until after Mason that we gave into our feelings." Dimitri answered.

"So you really love her?" Eddie's straightforwardness doesn't catch Dimitri off guard. He knows what I mean to Eddie.

"Yes I do. I'm nothing without her. My life," he takes a deep breath, "my life isn't worth living if she isn't by my side." My heart flutters and I feel a burning sensation in my cheeks. Oh how he affects me so much with just words.

"I guess love makes you do crazy stuff. I just thought Rose was crazy with what she did for you, but now you resigning for her? You're both crazy." They both laugh.

"When did you first realize you loved her?" Eddie's voice turned serious. I can't believe he's getting that personal with Dimitri. Then I realize he's still trying to protect me. After Mason died he took it upon himself to look after me. My stomach clenches, what will Dimitri say? Will he open up to Eddie on this level? My eyes flutter open in anticipation of his response one I, myself don't even know. Damn! He's watching me intently, our eyes lock. A playful smirk tugs at his lips.

* * *

A/N - I know, two updates back-to-back - crazy! I am just so excited to write this story, I couldn't wait to post the update! So, what do you think? Will Dimitri tell his story?


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm not really sure the exact moment. When we first met, I knew she was different. I had a feeling she was special, I just didn't know in what way." I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I'm entranced by the sound of his voice. A smile crosses my face as I close my eyes to listen to his bedtime story.

"I wasn't sure what the two girls were up to, what game they were playing. Running away was reckless, but sneaking out of the Academy unnoticed was crazy, brash and quite frankly I thought it was amazing. When I was assigned to Princess Dragomir as her official sanctioned Guardian, I was given her file, which to my surprise came with a rider file – Rosemarie Hathaway. I didn't ask questions I took the files and studied them thoroughly. When reports were called in that they'd been spotted I lead the team to retrieve them. I was given orders to bring back the Princess alive and well, but I was also authorized to use any means necessary against Miss Hathaway." _I flinch slightly, but I'm not surprised Kirova would allow that._

"I never had any intention of harming her." Dimitri says to quiet Eddies protest.

"As you can imagine, her file was thick. So I already had a good idea of the type of person she was before I even met her. But her file didn't do her justice." He takes a deep breath before continuing.

"When we found them she saw me and I underestimated her. I thought it a possibility they may run, but I honestly didn't think she'd be that observant. When we caught up to them we had them surrounded. She protected Lissa so ferociously, the look in her eyes so defiant, I knew she would fight me and my team. When she attacked I assessed her skill. She had good form, just not the speed or strength behind her moves. And that's when I saw her neck. She'd been keeping Lissa alive and recently too." He sighs.

"In that moment, I realized there was a lot more to her than what was in her file. I was intrigued by this girl that had a file as thick as an encyclopedia and labeled a troublemaker. Yet she had the courage to keep her friend alive with her own blood, the audacity to defend her when she was out skilled, outnumbered, and while feeling the side effects from the endorphin's."

"Yeah, that sounds like our Rose." I hear Eddie say.

"The way she carried herself walking through the commons upon returning, told me everything I needed to know. I always felt bad about doing that, but I was ordered to bring them through with as much public humility as possible. Ironically, it didn't appear to have the desired effect upon Rose. She carried herself so knowingly, so sure of herself. I admired her for that. Everything I'd seen of her thus far was contradictory to what I'd read in her file. I saw the potential of an amazing guardian in her. During her meeting with Headmistress Kirova I saw why her file was so thick." A chuckle escapes his lips.

"Very rebellious, wild and undisciplined, she reminded me a lot of myself at her age. And then in her first class, she was so cocky and full of herself. She shocked me and I didn't think that possible. Her words, '_If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time_' have been forever engraved in my mind." A laugh erupts from Eddie.

"I remember that. That was such a dramatic entrance, but then again that was pure Rose Hathaway style and we wouldn't have expected anything less. We were all glad to have her back." Eddie says after recovering.

"And the way she handled herself in Guardian Alto's class, how she responded under his scrutiny. Once again she surprised me. At the end of her first day I was once again amazed. I knew how defeated she was, but reluctant show it. She was too proud and stubborn." Another laugh escapes his lips.

"But, watching her for the first time being pulled into Lissa's head, truly had me worried. I was genuinely concerned for her. Then later during our first training session I felt a connection to her I'd never felt before." There was a long pause before he continued. "I guess my affections grew from there."

"When did you find out she had feelings for you?" Eddie asks.

"That my friend is a story for another time." I say as I sit up in bed. Dimitri looks at me lovingly and flashes his most sexy grin. _Oh, my heart flutters with desire. _


	8. Chapter 8

Arriving in the woods, we parked and prepared to hike the rest of the way just as we did with Sydney. After a few steps Dimitri and I tense. Sensing our hesitation, Mikhail and Eddie protectively surround the Moroi. We see movement from behind a tree.

"YOU! What do you want?" A loud voice growls from behind our group.

"Angeline. Calm down, we're here to help." I say as calmly as possible. _We aren't here to fight anyone, well, not The Keepers. If we run into any Strigoi we will kill them._

"It's because of you we were attacked!" Angeline's voice is laced with bitterness.

"We know, that's why we're here, to help." Gesturing with his hands, Dimitri tries to calm her down.

"It's because of you my father and brother are dying!" Her words hit me like a load of bricks. _More lives I've ruined, I flinch._

"No!" My eyes grow wide and I raise my hand to cover my mouth as I gasp.

"Where are they?" Dimitri grabs Angeline's arm with a firm grip. His dark brown eyes holding her glare. "Take us to them! We can help!" His voice is firm; he's taking on his guardian tone of authority.

"Fine. But they're," she motions to Christian, Adrian, and Sonya, "not welcome."

"Noted. But they're still coming with us." Dimitri surprises me with his harshness. He glances my way and our eyes briefly meet. _I see it in his eyes. He's doing what he does best, he's taking charge. He excels in dire situations. My heart swells, the smile that fills my face is full of admiration and adoration for Dimitri, my mentor, my lover, and my man._

_It's then that I realize with Raymond and Joshua injured the weight of leading The Keepers rests on the shoulders of Angeline. She's a spitfire, untrained and unrefined - only 16 years old. No one that young should have to be a leader, especially not through a time like this. My face flushes with pride, realizing yet again how heroic Dimitri is at this moment, stepping up and taking charge. He's a true leader._

As we follow her through the woods, more men and women come out of the tree line to follow us. They watch us carefully, I see recognition cross their faces as Dimitri and I pass, but we have many new faces with us, both Dhampir and Moroi. I see sparks of interest, curiosity, nervousness, and fear in their eyes as we walk through camp. Whispers trailing behind us.

"Angeline these are our friends. Mikhail and Eddie are Guardians. Sonya, Christen, and Adrian are Mor, er, The Tainted, but they're cool. They're here to help." I say loud enough for anyone in earshot to hear.

"How are they going to help?" The coolness in her tone sends shivers down my spine and I flinch. _Wow. This girl has so much raw potential. Is this how I was with Dimitri when we first met?_ I slip him a sideways look. His smirk tells me he's thinking the same thing. He nods in response and we both stifle a small laugh, earning us a few looks.

"Adrian and Sonya can heal." I say, flipping my hair off my shoulder and flashing one of my best Rose Hathaway smiles, which earned no recognition from Angeline.

_I wasn't sure what to expect and honestly, I hadn't really given it much though. I wish I had, maybe I would have been better prepared._ When we walked into their house the stench of death hit me. New and old blood covered every surface. Many women and children tiptoed around with buckets of water and dirty rags.

Dimitri instantly came to my side. I didn't realize I had frozen in the doorway. He pulled me aside and engulfed me in his arms. As his embrace spreads warmth through my body I begin to take in more of the surroundings. By this time, Adrian and Sonya have entered behind me.

"Let's get to work." Sonya said with a brief nod to Adrian.

I take a deep breath and hug Dimitri tightly one last time before releasing him. His eye brow arches up in his signature look, I smirked. _God, why did I tell him how much I loved that? He does it all the time now._ I smile and lean into him kissing his cheek. He smiles a boyish grin. I think I see a slight blush.

"I'll be back." He says, kissing my forehead. Now it's my turn for a questioning look. "I'm going to check the perimeter and assess the current status of the group." I nod and kiss him again. _The man I love never ceases to amaze me_; my heart flutters as he walks past. Our arms extending out, holding onto each other hands until we're out of reach, our gaze locked on each other until he disappears through the threshold.

I turn my attention to the room. Adrian and Sonya are both working. I've never seen Adrian so attentive before he's so focused, concentrating hard. I see Sarah sitting with someone, it's Raymond. And Angeline on the other side of the room standing over someone else, Joshua. My heart sinks. My feet are walking toward them before I realize I'm moving.

"How is he?" My voice is just above a whisper. I kneel taking Joshua's hand in my own. I squeeze and realize it's cold and limp. I feel tears run down my cheeks. I look to Angeline through glossy eyes. Her face shows no emotion, yet I see the pain in her eyes. I hear a wail pierce through the quiet room. Adrian runs to me and I realize it was my own.

"Can you help him?" I reach for Adrian with trembling hands. He looks to Joshua and our grasped hands. Everything after that is a blur. I'm vaguely aware of Dimitri storming through the door, moving with purpose to me, catching me just before I fall. Wrapped in his embrace, I watch Adrian and see his brow line glisten with sweat. My eyes flutter, then only darkness.

I smell his cologne and feel his strong arms protectively holding me. I bask in the moment before opening my eyes.

"Hey Comrade." I turn to look up at him.

"Roza," he says twirling my long dark brown hair between his long fingers. "How are you feeling?" His fingers gentle trace the side of my face and I feel electricity course through my body at his touch. We lean in closing the distance between our lips when we're interrupted by loud clapping and laughing from outside our cozy tent. We both smirk and realize a brief kiss will have to do.

Exiting our tent we see a crowd gathering around the fire. Someone is playing a guitar in the center of the group. And then I see a man step up holding something else foreign to me.

"A banjo." Dimitri whispers into my ear, holding back a slight chuckle. Then a woman joins them, making a trio. She's holding a violin, yet it sounds like nothing I've ever heard before. "A fiddle." I heard Dimitri say, amusement plastering his face.

"You're loving this aren't you Comrade? It's just like the wild west in your books, only its redneck vampires in the mountains." We both laugh.

"Rose! Dimitri! Come join the celebration!" Sarah shouts above the music. Everyone turns, noticing us for the first time. Their eyes widen as they notice our intimate embrace. Of course they're shocked. Last time we were here, Dimitri and I barely spoke to each other, and Joshua tried to court me. _Oh Joshua. I remember his cold, lifeless body and a shiver runs through me._

"Why is everyone so happy?" I look to Dimitri, his eyes shimmering with joy. Are those tears welling up? Then I see him, walking through the crowd toward us.

"Joshua?" My eyes go wide as I look into Dimitri's eyes, pulling him into a tight embrace I kiss him on the cheek and run to Joshua.

* * *

A/N - Hey Y'all! Just wanted to say thanks for reading my story! I'd like to try to post a new chapter at least each week, if not more. But my life's been a little crazy the past couple months, so we'll see how it goes!


	9. Chapter 9

"I'm so glad you're okay!" A little squeal escapes my lips and accentuates my delight. Looking into his deep blue eyes he really is alive, my smile grows wider. The pain of seeing him, cold and limp, I thought he was dead and I was overwhelmed with guilt. But he's standing before me, his sandy-blonde hair matted and caked with blood, but he's alive! It's a miracle, my heavy heart gets a little bit lighter, one less life I've ruined.

"Hey Rose," Joshua says with a boyish grin and a slight blush reaching his cheeks.

"Dimitri!" Christian yells from somewhere in the tree line. My heart immediately starts pounding, turning on my heels I see Christian running at full speed toward the camp. I glance to Dimitri, his jaw clenched and his eyes dark and menacing. _Whatever it is, it mustn't be good._ I walk to Dimitri, his fists balled in tight knots, his arm tense. I place my hand on his forearm; his shoulders slightly relax at my touch. I stand next to him awaiting Christian approach.

"Mikhail and Eddie," Christian says between breaths, "they found one, a Strigoi. They um…they questioned him. He said they also tracked Rose to some place in Russia. A blood-whore community, I think he called it Baia." My heart shatters. I look to Dimitri with tears threatening my eyes. _Baia._ He doesn't register my look but somehow his hand finds mine. He's staring at the ground and finally collapses to his knees. I stand taller, blinking away any unshed tears and square my shoulders. He needs me to be strong, I squeeze his hand hard, and after a while he squeezes back.

"Christian, where is Eddie and Mikhail now?" I ask with a tone of authority.

"They're in the field, finishing him off." Christian says looking between Dimitri and me, his blue eyes full of questions.

"Where's Adrian and Sonya?" I look around the camp, faces appearing and disappearing in the flickering of firelight and the shadows of dusk.

"Adrian's sleeping." Joshua says. I watch his face as he speaks, his eyes glaze over and his features contort ever so slightly, then looking directly at me he blushes.

"ADRIAN!" My voice is pitched and raspy as it bellows out of my lungs. I squeeze Dimitri's hand before letting it go. Kneeling in front of him taking his face between my hands I look into his eyes and see his pain. My chest tightens.

"I'll be right back, okay Comrade." I say as I gently kiss his lips and then his forehead. "I love you." Standing up I look to Christian, "Stay with him." I whisper, pleading with my eyes. He nods and sits down next to Dimitri. I storm off toward Joshua.

"Where is he?" I growl, all prior pleasantries lost.

"I…I don't know." He stutters.

"But you can find him." I eye him warily. _It is possible I'm wrong, or maybe he doesn't know._ "Close your eyes and think of him." My tone softens.

"I…I don't want to." He looks down, diverting from my eyes. His rose colored cheeks bring out his golden highlights. _Damn. I can only imagine what he's thinking._

"ADRIAN!" I yell again. This time I hear a growl from a tent across the bonfire. Marching with force I pull open the tent flap and see Adrian's green eyes watching me with curiosity.

"What's wrong Lil Dhampir?" He says too innocently. _There is nothing innocent about Adrian Ivashkov._

"What have you done?" My voice betrays me as it quivers and struggles against my dry throat.

"What do you mean?" He gives me a questioning look. I sit down, all prior venom and anger gone. Adrian flashes me a look of panic. "Rose, are you okay? Where's Belikov?"

"Adrian, I think…" _Damn. How do I tell him? _I take a deep breath. "Adrian, I think Joshua is shadow-kissed." I see worry on his face. _He never wanted anyone to get inside his head, and now a stranger, a complete opposite of him. _He starts to drift off into his crazy no man's land, but I won't let him._ We have our differences, but he's still a good friend. _I hold out my arms to him, he hesitates a moment them lunges toward me. When I feel Adrian's body relax, I realize he's over his initial shock.

"Come on, I'll introduce you." I release Adrian and stand up. "He's about my age, but, um, naïve, so behave." I smile as we exit the tent. To my surprise a small gathering has surrounded the tent, Joshua and Sonya in the middle.

"Hey Joshua this is Adrian. He's the one who saved you." I motion to Adrian and give an encouraging wink.

"Hey man." Adrian says extending his hand in a friendly gesture.

"Hi. Um, thank you, for, hmm, saving my life." Joshua stumbles over his words, shifting his weight around.

"Adrian, Joshua, we need to talk." I say, catching Sonya's eye she nods. "In private." Raymond steps out from the crowd catching my attention for the first time.

"We don't have secrets here. Anything you have to say to Joshua you can say to all of us." Raymond says as Sarah steps next to him nodding in agreement.

"Okay. It was an accident, Adrian was only trying help." My voice starts out strong, but then I quickly start to fade.

"It would appear that Joshua died and Adrian brought him back to life using Spirit." Sonya interrupts sensing my insecurities. "Joshua's been shadow-kissed. He's bonded to Adrian. He can sense Adrian's moods and will even be able to see inside his head as the bond strengthens. Unfortunately it's irreversible, well," Sonya looks at me and continues, "Rose can help Joshua lean how to control it, she was shadow-kissed." Looking at the faces around the camp I was expecting to see anger, but that is not the emotion I saw at all.

"Shadow-kissed…Morori and Dhampir…bonded…" Whispers flying through the air their faces full of awe and intrigue. I feel a flutter in my stomach as realization hits me. _These people, The Keepers, they stick to the old ways, of course they know the stories. _

They close the space to crowd around and meet Adrian and speak with Joshua. I take a moment to glance around, looking for Christian and Dimitri. They're gone. I see Christian sitting outside the tent I was in earlier.

Christian sees me walking toward him and meets me halfway. "How is he?" I ask.

"Sleeping." Christian hesitates a moment before continuing. "Will he be okay?" I smile a sheepish grin. My heart swells at the thought of Christian worried about Dimitri, because honestly they were never very close.

"Yes. He'll be fine." I say with confidence, knowing he'll be better as soon as I get my arms wrapped around him. "Baia, Baia is his hometown. His family still lives there." My voice soft and full of emotion, Christian gives me a small hug and walks toward the campfire.

Crawling into the tent, I snuggle next to Dimitri and engulf him with my entire body.

"Roza." A whisper escapes his lips as he pulls me closer in his sleep. I close my eyes knowing that when we wake we'll formulate a plan together.

I wake to soft lips gently touching mine. Opening my eyes I see Dimitri, my love smiling above me.

"Hmm…good morning Comrade." I smile and pull him closer for a more powerful kiss. A low growl escapes him.

"Good morning Roza." Just as our lips are about to touch we jump as someone barges through our tent.

"I want to learn to fight!" Angeline stands in our doorway, glaring between the two of us.

"Perfect timing Angeline." I sigh. "We're not busy or anything." Dimitri controls a chuckle, his eyes shining with amusement.

"I'm serious! I want you to train me. Mikhal and Eddie say you're the best." Angeline continues, "Well, that you two are the best. But you were her mentor, right? You taught Rose, she was your student? I want to be your student." Dimitri catches my arm before I can form a punch, I glare at him.

"Angeline, give us a minute please." He says, caressing the back of my hand with his thumb. _Does he know what this does to me? It's the opposite of calm._ I smirk.

"We should go to Russia." I firmly say after Angeline leaves.

"No." He says, showing no emotion.

"Comrade, it's your family!"

"They'll be fine, and if not then it's already too late." He's wearing his guardian mask, closed off from the world.

"Dimitri!" My voice cracks. "You can't be serious, you're just going to give up? They're your family!" Tears threaten my eyes.

"Rose," He reaches for me and I jerk away crawling toward the entrance.

"So are you going to mentor her as you did me?" My voice laced with anger. I storm out and head straight for Christian.

"Whoa. You okay?" He says.

"Fine. I need your cell." My eyes burning with anger. I grab it from his hand and walk away. After reaching the clearing, I dial a number I told myself I'd never call. After two rings a husky voice answers, a voice at that moment I longed to hear.

"Hey Old Man." I say as a smile creeps to my face.

Returning to camp I see several of The Keepers are standing in tight groups facing Dimitri, Mikhail, and Eddie, who are standing in front. Dimitri sees me, whispers something to Mikhail and heads toward me. _I really hate arguing with him, my stomach twists knots._

"Hey." He says carefully watching my face.

"Hey." I sigh.

"Oh Roza. I'm so sorry, I don't want to fight." He pulls me into a tight embrace. My heart swells and my arms hug him back.

"Exactly what are you sorry for, Comrade?" I look up to him and smirk.

"Making you upset." He leans down and gives me the gentlest kiss, I feel a tingly sensation cover my body.

"So what's going on here?" I motion to the groups.

"After you left I talked more to Angeline, but Raymond came up with an idea. We'll provide basic lessons to anyone interested." His face showing a hint of sorrow. I nod.

"Three days Comrade, three days." I say as I walk toward Eddie and Mikhail.


	10. Chapter 10

"Rose." Dimitri's voice startles me, it's low and shaky. I turn to look at him. His guardian mask is down, an array of emotions shine through his deep brown eyes. "What happens in three days?" I watch him carefully.

"We go to Russia. Abe is on his way to Baia to personally check on your family now. He's sending a plane for us on Friday. We'll drop Christian and Eddie off at the Academy on our way." His eyes wide, full of fear. I feel a lump in my stomach and I run to him. His body is rigid and tense as my arms wrap around his midsection.

"Rose, I…I can't go." He whispers. I look up to him. My arms still wrapped around him, but his arms stay at his side. Anger starts to build inside me, anger and frustration. _Why won't he go to see his family? He'd rather stay here and train these people? Mentor Angeline? I know a relationship is suppose to be a two-way street, but right now, I don't think he's thinking straight. I don't like fighting with him, but sometimes it's the only way to make him understand. _I take a deep breath and release my hold on him.

"Well, in three days I'm going to Russia – with or without you." His face twitches at my words. A new emotion crosses his face, I can't place it. My jaw is set, I'm not backing down. I turn on my heels and begin to walk away, but he grabs my arm and pulls me to him, encircling his arms around me holding me tight.

"Don't leave me, Roza please." He whispers in my ear. "I need you." He squeezes me tighter. I hear the desperation in his voice and it stirs my heart.

"Come with me." I whisper into his chest, blinking back tears. _I hadn't thought of it like that, leaving him behind. I assumed he would go with me. But, what if he calls my bluff, will I really go without him? _

"Roza…I…" I look up to him, his face full of agony, and a single tear shinning on his cheek. _That's when it clicks._ I reach up and grab his face between my hands, pulling him down, our faces only inches apart when I speak.

"Oh Comrade! I love you so much you know I'd never leave you. Not now, not ever. I get it now, I understand. I know it will be hard for you to return to Russia. I'll be by your side the entire time. It'll be hard for me too, I need you. Let's face it together. Together we can do anything." His arms pull me tighter and his lips find mine. Our kiss starts out slow and gentle, but quickly picks up to something more, full of passion and desire. I need him as much as he needs me. He sighs at my moan.

"Ahem." Someone clears there throat behind me. We slowly separate out lips, but our bodies stay pressed together as one.

"I don't mean to interrupt," Adrian says, _yes you do I think as a smirk crosses my face,_ "But I think they're ready for their instruction." He gestures to the group not too far from us. Dimitri nods, giving me one last squeeze and kissing the top of my head before letting me go. I quickly grab his hand and walk next to him, he looks at me and smiles. _Together we can do anything._ I smile back.

"Adrian," I say as we walk, he falls in step next to me, "in three days Dimitri and I are headed to Russia and Christina and Eddie are going back to St. Vladimir's. I guess you're going back to Court."

"Russia sounds nice. I've always wanted to see the homeland." Dimitri and I both stare. "What?" He says flashing a mischievous grin. We both just shake our head and laugh.

"I guess Mikhail and Sonya won't mind more time away from Court either. OH!" My eyes light up with excitement. "You two can meet Oksana." I snuggle in closer to Dimitri his arm instinctively wrapping around me. _This trip may end up okay after all, I smile to myself._

Everyone turns to face us as we approach the front of the group, standing next to Mikhail and Eddie, both of whom are smiling. I'm still wrapped in Dimitri's arms, Eddie winks at me and I blush.

"Can I have everyone's attention," Dimitri says in a loud voice. Glancing down at me he continues, "We only have three days, but in that timeframe if you are dedicated and work hard we can teach you the basics. Today we will work on basic offensive and defensive moves. Tomorrow we will pair you up and turn those moves into combat fighting." Eddie and Mikhail nod in agreement.

"Alright, you heard the man. Line up in rows with enough space to maneuver around. The quicker we get in place, the quicker we'll get started!" Raymond's voice echo's through the silence as everyone scurries about to get in a mock formation.

The first day's lesson went better than expected. I even saw Christian and Sonya in the group following our direction. Mikhail and Eddie stood upfront and demonstrate the moves, while Dimitri and I walked around correcting and critiquing everyone's form. Angeline did not like being criticized; thankfully she's a quick learner.

During dinner when they asked for battle stories all our faces dropped. Christian, Eddie and I did not want to relive our battle in Spokane, that's when we lost Mason. Dimitri and I did not want to relive the battle in the caves at St. Vladimir's, that's when Dimitri was turned. We also did not want to relive any of our battles in Russia, those were when Dimitri was Strigoi and we were trying to kill each other. And the last time we fought together, Donovan, I know Dimitri does not want to think about it, he almost lost himself after that one. My hand finds Dimitri's and he pulls me into his lap.

"Our school was attacked," Christian breaks the silence with a shaky voice, "Rose and I fought together, side by side. I've never seen her fight before, she was incredible. Her moves were quick and deadly, a flawless performance."

"I remember that." Dimitri says looking upon me, "What you two did was amazing. I've never been so proud." He gives my forehead a kiss. The crowd asks questions about the battle. Christian gives me a knowing smile and thankfully answers all of them. Dimitri pulls me tighter against his well sculpted chest, my head fits perfectly in the crook of his neck. We fit together like puzzle pieces – perfectly made for each other. _I sigh._ The crowd is relentless, they keep asking for more stories.

"Dimitri and Rose can tell you one." Adrian surprises me when he speaks up. I glare at him because I have no idea where he's going. His face turns to mock horror; my aura must've turned jet black. "Dimitri fought the entire Royal Guard protecting Rose when she was arrested." He quickly says. This softens my mood, Dimitri's too, his body turned stiff when Adrian spoke. Dimitri rubs my back and smiles.

"I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat." He smiles lovingly at me. I know if Dimitri tells the story he will down play it, he deserved to be worshiped. He is an amazing fighter. That morning, he was my one-man army. That was the first time I actually saw him fight to his fullest potential. I was dumbstruck, in awe. The only other time I felt like that was when he was still a Strigoi. He protected me against the other Strigoi, I recall my thought '_alive or undead, the love of my life was a badass._' I look up to him and a smile spreads across my face, adoration pouring out of my soul. Turning to the crowd I describe the events of that morning, painting Dimitri as the God he is. When I'm done talking I look at him, he's hiding a smile, but I see it in his eyes.

"Have you two ever faced each other?" A voice from the crowd asks. We both freeze.

"They are mentor and student, they fought daily in practice together." I hear Eddie say in the distance. Dimitri and I smile a weak smile at each other. I know we're both remembering our training sessions.

"If you two are as good as you claim to be, I bet that would be entertaining. Hmm?" Raymond asks.

"It would be educational." Another voice calls from the crowd.

"To see our teachers in action would be very inspirational." Another voice says. I roll my eyes.

"They're very persistent." I whisper to Dimitri.

"Yes they are." He growls.

"Well, what do you say Comrade? Just like old times?" I eye him warily. He raises an eyebrow; a smile stretches across my face.

"I've always wondered if you went easy on me during my field experience." I smirk.

"I do believe a rematch is in order." I giggle and he grins. We both turn to the crowd and nod.

* * *

A/N – Thanks everyone for your continued support! Who do you think will win this time - Rose or Dimitri? Or will it be a stalemate?


	11. Chapter 11

A/N – Hey Y'all! Sorry it took so long for an update, life's crazy right now. I'll try and update again soon!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

Holding hands we walk to the center of the crowd, they've backed away creating a circle around us.

"Just like in practice Comrade." I whisper as I lean up and kiss him on the cheek. "Points, no stakes." He nods and squeezes my hand before pulling me in for a hug. I feel his body relax as he kisses my neck, just under my ear – goose bumps graze my arms and he smiles.

We break apart and start circling each other. We're both smiling, our eyes dancing with anticipation of the first attack. Normally I wait for Dimitri to attack first, but I see my opening and go for it. He's too quick and sees me coming, stepping aside my punch catches the air. That's when I realize my back is exposed, too late, he grabs me from behind. Luckily I react quickly, breaking away from his grip and spin around to face him. He smiles at me, proud I'm sure. I smirk back.

I hear the cheering of the crowd in the background causing me to slightly lose focus. That's all the opening Dimitri needs. He swoops to my left side with his shoulder low, I react late but am still able to block him. Spinning around he catches my leg and we both tumble to the ground. He's hovering over me, smiling. I feel his grip loosen and flip him over. Now I'm sitting straddling him, holding his arms above his head. We're both breathing heavy, his breath on my face makes my heart flutters. I smirk, rather pleased with myself.

"Had enough, Comrade?" I tease. In one swift movement, he's rolled us over, him now straddling me.

"I'll never have enough of you." He says raising an eyebrow in his signature look. I giggle and smash my lips into his. His grip loosens, as I thought it would. I flash back to the last time I did this and it caught him off guard, I wonder if it'll work again. My right hand pulls free and curves around for a blow to his temple. Dimitri breaks the kiss, smirking at me with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Not this time, Roza." He says, grabbing my fist and holding if firmly in place. We stare at each other both of our eyes softening. I hear laughter from the crowd.

"Caught you off guard Belikov? Nice one Rose, you're so resourceful sometimes." Christian's laughter is contagious. "The kiss of death." He murmurs into the crowd. Dimitri and I both begin to laugh as we stand up ending the show. Dimitri wraps his arms around me, holding me close. I do the same taking comfort in his embrace.

"Well, that was quite the show." Raymond says walking toward us with a smile on his face and Sarah next to him. "No wonder you two are so highly regarded, your skills surpass anyone we've ever seen." I'm not sure what to say, I've never been well at accepting compliments without sounding cocky. I decide to follow Dimitri's lead and gracefully bow my head. I gaze up at him in wonder, he's always so proper, such the gentleman, pride surges through my body for the man I love.

"I guess I'll continue to take your stupid lessons." Angeline says walking toward her father. I smirk at her attitude.

"You should come to the Academy with us. We could teach you a lot more and really hone in your skills." Eddie says to Angeline as he walks up behind me. I look to Angeline, her eyes widen with excitement at the possibility of leaving. I leave the group as they begin discussing the intricacies of enrolling Angeline into St. Vladimir's. Since Eddie and Christian will be there, Raymond is more inclined to allow her to go.

"Hey Little Dhampir." I hear a familiar tone. Turning on my heels I smile a playful grin at Adrian. "So, is that what you and Belikov call foreplay?" He smirks as I roll my eyes. "Because I can think of some other things you may enjoy better." He says, licking his lips, his tongue lingering on his fangs. If glares could kill, he'd be dead.

"Behave." Sonya says, smacking Adrian on the back side of the head. A one sided grin tugs at my lips. "So I hear we're going to Russia?" She asks turning her attention toward me.

"Yes. Well, Dimitri and I are, Adrian decided to tag along." I say.

"Someone needs to supervise you." Adrian says. Sonya and I both stare at him with puzzlement, then start to laugh.

"Adrian said there is another Spirit user there?" Sonya asks after our laughter dies down.

"Yes, Oksana. She is the one that helped me with Lissa. Adrian nods remembering the Spirit battle we had with Avery. Sonya's eye squint not knowing the events that took place. "Somehow Oksana was able to use my bond with Lissa and link us together." I quickly explain.

"Oh wow, very impressive." Sonya says. "Yes, I do think I would like to meet her."

Looking over Adrian's shoulder I see Joshua standing alone, eyes glazed over. Though I never saw myself, from what I've been told that is what I would look like. I have no doubt he's been pulled into Adrian's head…and now he's blushing. I look up to see Adrian gazing upon me with roaming eyes and a sly grin.

"Adrian!" I groan, slapping him on the arm.

"You'll never be able to stop me from dreaming about you." Adrian says, all tone of playfulness gone. Flames from the fire are now dance in his green eyes. Gritting my teeth I decide it time for bed.

"Goodnight Sonya. Adrian." I say, turning toward the direction of our tent. Walking past Dimitri I catch his eyes. He smiles and excuses himself catching up to me.

"Everything all planned out?" I ask as we settle in our tent, ready for sleep.

"Yes. We'll take Angeline to St. Vladmir's and enroll her. Though, we'll have to meet with the Headmistress, I'm not sure if Christian alone can get her in –no questions asked." I nod my head which is already perfectly positions in the crock of his shoulder. "Oh, and they want Joshua to come with us to Russia."

"What?" I ask. Rolling over to look at him squarely in the eye, a bit annoyed that I moved from my very comfortable position. He shrugs his shoulders.

"Being shadow kissed is an honor to them. They want him to stay with Adrian."

"Whatever. That's up to Adrian." I say, snuggling back down into my comfy spot, drifting off to sleep.

The next couple days are uneventful. We train, practice, eat, and train more. I admire everyone's enthusiasm throughout the grueling days. You can tell the Dhampir's are made for this – they're excelling. But I have to give credit to the Moroi and Humans…they get an A for effort.

Our last night there we have another big bonfire with music and dancing. They're even passing around a bottle of something they call moonshine. Based on the smell of it, I passed. Though I did have a bite of the peach they pulled from the bottle. I glance across the fire to see Adrian sipping on entire jug all by himself. I shake my head. Dimitri catches my attention, he's standing along the exterior of the group, speaking with Mikhail. I've always enjoyed admiring him from afar, my adoration going unnoticed.

"Hey Rose." Christian says sitting down next to me. He follows my gaze. "How are you two?"

"We're good." I say, my eyes not moving from their subject.

"He doesn't hurt you, right?" My head snaps so quickly it may have popped off.

"What?" I question. Confusion plastered on my features.

"Lissa is concerned. She hears noises, not so nice noises, and sometimes lots of yelling and screaming at night." My eyes harden before turning soft again.

"No, I appreciate her concern, but we're fine. We just don't sleep well." I say, shrugging. He nods.

"Give it time, it'll get better." He finally says. I furrow my eye brows and wrinkle my forehead. "After my parents…I had nightmares for a while." He says looking down to the ground. I reach over and pull him in for a hug.

The next morning we say our farewells and pile into the SUV. Since we have two extra passengers this time around, Eddie and Mikhail sit on the floor. I smile at them arguing over who it will be, Christian and Adrian wanted to, however the guardians wouldn't allow it. I smirk.

All too quickly we arrive at the location Abe had given me. We pile out of the SUV and head toward the private jet awaiting us on the tarmac. Much to my surprise a golden-blonde haired girl is standing at the top of the stairs with her arms crossed over her chest waiting for us.

"Sydney!" I squeal in delight.


End file.
